Tirupati, Jan 3: A man, reportedly in an intoxicated state, sneaked into the Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple in Tirupati and climbed its 100-foot entrance tower, setting off a major security scare that lasted nearly three hours, police said Saturday. The man allegedly tried to damage two decorative pinnacles atop the structure before being secured by temple officials and police.

Security personnel and devotees at the temple were thrown into a state of panic, the police said on Saturday.

The man was detained and taken to the local police station for questioning.

The individual, identified as Kuttadi Tirupati, a resident of Nizamabad district in neighbouring Telangana, scaled the tower by climbing its intricate carvings and perched himself at a dangerous height around midnight on Friday, according to local media reports.

The man, reportedly a daily wager, appeared visibly intoxicated and remained atop the structure for about three hours.

"The individual bypassed the primary security cordon and ascended the Gopuram. Our teams, along with Fire and Emergency Services, acted immediately to bring him down safely without any damage to the heritage structure," a senior Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) official said.

The man reportedly demanded a bottle of liquor in exchange for climbing down from the Gopuram.

However, police personnel successfully persuaded him to descend and later took him to the Tirupati East Police Station for questioning.

Police officials confirmed that the man would be questioned to determine how he gained access to the restricted area.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the breach occurred due to a lapse in perimeter monitoring during peak pilgrim hours.

The incident has once again placed the security apparatus of Tirupati's shrines under intense scrutiny.

The temple complex has faced several security challenges in recent years.

In 2023, the TTD drew criticism after a drone video of the Tirumala temple surfaced on social media, despite the area being designated a no-fly zone.

Additionally, past incidents involving unauthorised entry into the 'Vaikuntam' queue complexes and occasional thefts of temple ornaments have led to repeated calls for a comprehensive security overhaul.

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In 2021, authorities intensified vigilance following reports of unidentified individuals attempting to photograph prohibited areas of the sanctum.

(IANS)